Dreams and Desires - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Keri Wilson
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 7

When they came back, the mail had come. Rogue had received a letter. She recognized the handwriting on the envelope, even though it had no return address. Mystique had written her. When she opened the envelope, she saw that it had a letter and another envelope with a note inside of it. She read the first letter.

Mystique told her the note was from Irene, she had written it the day before she was killed. She had told Mystique that she could read it, but she couldn't give it to Rogue or even tell her that there was a note from Irene until she wrote this letter and sent it on a specific date.

Irene was a precognitive, and the note was meant for now. Irene didn't want to risk influencing Rogue's decisions. Mystique had said that, of course, with Irene telling her that she could read the note, she had not.

She couldn't have stood not telling Rogue about the note, if she had read it earlier. She had only read it the day before she wrote the letter. Irene's note had been brief but warm, she congratulated Rogue upon her upcoming wedding to Remy, and told she would have a long and happy life with her husband. Rogue cried after she read it.

Then Remy took her out to get her engagement ring. He told he would buy her whatever one she wanted. When she went toward the cheapest ones, he steered her back to the more expensive ones, telling her, "My love be wort' more dan a cheap ring. Y' be wort' everyt'ing to me, cherie." She let herself pick out one of the more expensive rings, but insisted on paying half. Remy knew that was for the best, she'd be happy then, and since it symbolized their intention of joining their lives together, to purchase it with both of their money was a nice touch.

The stones themselves were tiny, embedded all around the top side of the ring. It would be engraved underneath,"Je t'aime, toujours." : "I love you forever." She had them size the ring over her gloves. Telling them that she would be wearing gloves with her dress, and she wanted to make sure it would fit on her finger over the gloves.

She knew they would think she was a little eccentric because of that, but better that, than for the people to know she was a mutant, or to hurt them with her power.

The next day Professor Xavier sent them on a mission. He talked to Scott and told him that it would be better if Gambit did not go on the mission. Gambit and Rogue would be too distracting to each other on the same mission at this point in their relationship. If Rogue was to go on the mission without Remy it would be better. Even if she was still a little distracted, her near invulnerability would protect her. Also it was easier to get her back on task than Gambit. A word from Logan would be enough.

When they took off in the Blackbird, Rogue's mind was obviously elsewhere. She was smiling dreamily. Logan unsheathed his claws right in front of her face. She jerked backwards and alert.

Logan said, "Sorry, darlin' I know you're happy, but right now we've got a job to do."

An embarrassed Rogue blushed and said, "Thanks Logan, ah shouldn't let mahself get distracted."

In the meantime Remy was pacing back and forth in his room. When he couldn't take it anymore he did a workout session in the danger room, then swam multiple laps in the pool. When he heard the Blackbird returning he leapt out of the pool, and quickly changed from his swimming trunks into shorts. Then he ran to the landing bay. When Rogue saw Remy waiting for her she flew into his arms, and passionately kissed him.

Drake, who had taken Remy's place on this mission, complained, "Gawd, coin't they ever stop pawing each uder?"

Five mornings later...

Remy awakened first this morning. He looked at Rogue, curled against him in sleep. He felt a protective urge towards her. He wanted to keep her from ever getting hurt again, especially emotionally, where she was so vulnerable, a hurt child. She stirred in her sleep, making whimpering noises. Nightmare, Remy thought. I better wake her up.

"Cherie, wake up." Remy said gently shaking her.

She startled awake, her eyes wide with fright. Then she shuddered."Oh, Remy, ah dreamed that Sabretooth had ripped out mah guts and was eatin' them and laughin' at me laying on the ground bleedin' tah death!"

Remy held her tight and let her sob against his chest. Then she suddenly jumped up and ran to the bathroom, "Ah'm gonna vomit!" she cried, and proceeded to do so, into the toilet.

Remy followed her into the bathroom, offering her a glass of water when it was over. He then went back to the bedroom and returned with her robe. He helped her put it on. She was still shaking from the after effect of throwing up. As he helped her he realized she felt hot. He got up and returned with a thermometer.

She was indeed running a fever. When she saw that, her eyes showed her fear."Ah'm never sick, Remy, never! Not since ah got these powers! Oh Remy, it's gotta be somethin' terrible, like the Legacy Virus! Somethin'just as bad!"

"Don' say that, chere! Remy felt a wave a terror hit him. Non! He couldn't lose her, not now, not when everyt'ing was finally goin' right for the two of them!

Remy picked her up in his arms, glad that he had put pants on when he had gone back for her robe: because he was going to wake the whole household up, hitting the emergency button, and making the trip in the emergency transport tube to the infirmary with her in his arms. He hit the button with his elbow and dashed to the transport tube, just as the alert siren began to blast.

He ran with her arms clutching his shoulders into the infirmary and layed her on the closest medical bed; he had felt her grip on his shoulders weaken as he ran into the infirmary. When he layed her on the bed, he saw she was only semiconscious."Come on, come on, someone, hurry!" He said aloud.

Professor X came into the room in his hoverchair just then. He checked the bed monitor which had activated the moment Remy had layed Rogue on the bed.

"Her body is reacting to a hormonal change. What is causing this, I can't tell yet, nor can I tell how her body will continue to react, everything is in such flux."

"Isn't dere somet'ing you can do t' stabilize her, Professor?"

"No." Professor Xavier said in a flat voice.

Hank came barreling into the infirmary."What's wrong with Rogue?" He looked at the monitors. "Full hormonal destabilization. Fascinating. How could this happen to our teammate who is the most invulnerable to diseases or poisons? Tell me all her symptoms, from the first you noticed, and when it started, Gambit."

Gambit told him everything that had happened that morning. "Intriguing, hmm..." Hank considered the symptoms,"We'll have to continue to observe, but my hypothesis at the moment is this is not a virus, but some change self-generated, perhaps triggered by an outside source. I do not think it will prove to be life threatening."

Just at that moment a bed monitor went off.

"Non! She in a coma! Not life threatening! What's dis, mon ami?"

Remy was pushed out of the way as the Professor and Hank readjusted the monitors and placed a oxygen mask on her face, after quickly putting on the medical gloves near the bed first, then sticking a I.V. tube in her arm. Then they stepped back, and the Professor said to Remy, "That's all we can do now, and hope that Hank's hypothesis will prove correct."

Remy sat down on the edge of the bed."I'm not goin' no where until she's well, however long it takes!" Remy said with heat in his voice.

Ororo came down after several hours."Remy, let me sit by her a for a while. You need to eat and to get away for a short time."

"Non!" Remy shouted "I'm not leaving!"

"My friend, no one will think less of you, for taking a break. I know this is causing you much pain. I do not believe she would want you to blame yourself."

"You talkin' like she gonna die!"

"No Remy, that is not what I meant." Ororo sighed. She had never seen Remy more on edge. She decided to quietly sit there with him for a while.

Meanwhile, Rogue's coma was the main topic of conversation upstairs.

"Oi think it's his fault, he did somethoing ta her, we ought ta make him leave!" Bobby vehemently said.

"I don't think so Bobby, both the Professor and Hank, said that it was something in her own body, some sort of massive hormonal flux." Scott said.

"Maybe her miwtant powers are changing in some way, didn't she say once that the first time her original power showed itself, that she went intiw a coma for a few days?" Warren commented.

"That is one of my hypotheses about what caused Rogue's body to have such a reaction." Hank commented,"That would not be very congruent with the outside factor stimulating this, however."

"See, Oi told you it was him-"

"Stuff it Drake, the Cajun wouldn't hurt Rogue. I knew before they did, those two would fall in love, just took Gambit a while to admit it. You know damn well the Cajun nearly got his ticket cashed several times, when he was busy trying to be her protector, not that Rogue needed one. I didn't exactly trust him with her at first. His wife showin' up though, and the way he was about her, made me sure my instincts were right, Gambit and Rogue were meant to be together, just like Mariko and I."

Even Drake didn't comment on Mariko's death, and silence reigned. Then Jean said, "Perhaps it wasn't an intentional thing, but maybe aenknowingly their intimacy caused this reaction in Rogue's body. Perhaps her aebsorbing power caused this?"

"That is another one of my hypotheses, this one more likely than the first. I would not mention this to Remy though, it will only cause him more pain. I have another hypothesis that, perhaps you might call it intuition, I feel may be the right one."

Betsy, somewhat annoyed at what she felt were Hank's mini- theatrics asked, "Thuht is?"

"I believe she may be pregnant."

"See, Oi told you it's Gambit's fault-"

Everyone else in unison said, "Shut up Drake!"

Later that day Jubilee called from the Massachusetts Academy when she heard the news. She talked to Logan. She tried to cover up her concern with jokes but Logan knew she wouldn't have called if she wasn't concerned.

Then late in the day Kitty, Peter, and Kurt showed up and went down to the infirmary, when they came in Ororo stood up and Kitty hugged her. "How is she Ororo?"

"No change."

"I guess I know now how she felt when I couldn't become corporeal, after that attack in the old Morlock tunnels. I'm so worried for her. I feel helpless, I want to help her, but I don't have anyway to help."

"We all feel that way kitten, perhaps none more so than Remy here. You know him as Gambit. Perhaps she told you about falling in love with him?"

Kitty nodded,"Yeah, and that she was afraid of what would happen when they touched. Did this happen because of that?"

"I do not think so, they have been doing rather a lot of touching the last week," Ororo smiles,"and are engaged to be married."

Kurt looked at Remy. He wouldn't judge this man until he heard from his mouth what had happened. He asked in a carefully neutral tone, "Just what happened, mein freund, just before she went into this."

Remy painfully recounted that morning's events. When they heard the anguish in his voice, and saw it reflected on his face, they could tell how much this was eating him up inside. Kurt came over and layed a hand on Remy's shoulder,and in a much kinder tone said, "Mein freund, and soon to be foster brother-in-law, we will do whatever we can to make sure she is well soon."

"Moira is coming tomorrow, all will be well soon,tovarich." Peter said.

That evening, shortly after Kitty, Peter, and Kurt's arrival, an angry Mystique called,"I blame you for this Xavier! You were the one who let that man touch Rogue! If she does not come out of it that Cajun is dead!" Then she hung up, before Professor Xavier could say anything in reply.

Three days later Mystique showed up at the mansion. She was allowed in, only because Charles knew she would not hurt Rogue, and because Rogue's condition was slowly improving, she wouldn't harm Gambit. Still, due to the potential danger she posed she would be carefully watched. Mystique walked into the infirmary and saw something she hadn't expected, not after all the stories she had heard about this man's past with women. The other part of his past hadn't bothered her in the slightest, it was no worse than Rogue's. His tendency to "love and leave" woman though, had.

She would stand for no one harming her foster daughter. Not physically, not emotionally. The man was there, sitting there asleep. She could tell by his condition, that he had been there for days. He had bathed and changed his clothes, thank goodness, but she recognized sleep from exhaustion when she saw it. Besides, the man looked even scruffier than he usually did. Then she noticed his hand was tightly holding Rogue's, even in sleep.

For once Mystique was surprised, and not upset to be. She had to ascertain how deep this man's feelings went towards her foster daughter. Mystique said loudly and sarcastically, "I'm surprised you're still here."

Remy startled awake, leapt out in front of the bed, and assumed a defensive posture. Then he realized who it was, and relaxed, slightly, but still kept a wary look on his face. Mystique was impressed again. She allowed herself to relax a little, and her anger to cool. This man certainly showed the reactions that a person that loved someone would. Perhaps the man was merely foolish instead. She would allow herself two days to observe him and to confirm Xavier's story, that Rogue was getting better, if somewhat slowly. She said to Remy, "Xavier tells me Rogue is improving, is this true?"

Remy went back to his chair, looked at Rogue, glanced at the medical readouts, then looked at the floor, with guilt and anguish in his voice he said, "Dat's what dey tell me."

"So you will be staying?" Mystique said, neutrally this time. This time she saw a flash of anger in his face, and he looked straight at her.

"She gonna be my wife, I stay by her no matter what!" Remy said with quiet fury.

Mystique nodded. She thought, his feelings are genuine, I'm nearly certain. I will observe him, still, for two more days, then I will know for sure.

Unlike Remy, Mystique did not spend all of her time in the infirmary, mainly to torment Xavier. She taunted the other X-men, and tried to break through the security on the information in the computer files. At the end of the two days she felt secure about her foster daughter's health, even though Rogue had not yet gained consciousness, she was improving. Xavier hadn't lied about that at least. She also felt certain about this boy that Rogue was to marry. He may be foolish, not thinking about the consequences before he acted, but he would not consciously do anything to harm Rogue. When her daughter recovered she wouldn't oppose this marriage. She might have to have a talk with her daughter, though. She had heard the rumor about the cause being a pregnancy. Rogue apparently had forgotten all of the things about contraception she had been taught! Mystique thought, half irritated, half amused.

Nine days later...

Remy sat there, exhausted. He had tried not to allow himself sleep. He had only taken time every day to shower and go to the bathroom. After five days he found himself falling asleep in the shower, standing up under the warm water pouring down, but being shocked back awake when the water turned ice cold. He had eaten little, not feeling much desire for food, when the woman he loved lay in a coma. The only time he had left her side for anything other that the necessities, was when he briefly went up to her room to get the quilt.

She had been in a coma for a week, her lifesigns slowly improving. Remy had remembered how much she hated the cold. When she woke up she would most definitely be cold, with just that thin medical gown, and nearly as thin a sheet covering her.

That quilt had been the first thing they had bought together. They had gone to the New York State fair. They were looking at the quilt exhibit. She had just said to him how seeing those quilts had made her homesick for the south, and hugged him. They turned to go down the next aisle and saw it. It was a beautiful pictorial quilt. A bayou scene, complete with a pelican in flight. Made by another homesick southerner, they found out, when they bought the quilt from her. Rogue had looked at the price tag and sighed, and started to move on. Remy looked at the price, and spoke to the woman at the booth. "I want to be buying dis quilt." Rogue had rushed back, and said sharply, "No Remy, it's too expensive! Ah'm not gonna let you spend all that money just because I thought it was pretty." The woman was already carefully folding the quilt, and preparing to hand it to him. Then she said, "Since I can tell you're both from the south like me, I'll sell it to you for 300 dollars, rather than 475." Remy started to pull out the money from his wallet. Rogue knew he was determined now to get this for her. "Let me pay half, Remy, it's too expensive for one of us to pay for it all." Remy knew she'd be mad if he didn't, and the quilt would have unhappy associations for her then. "Okay, cher." They both handed over 150 to woman, who smiled at them, and gave the quilt to Rogue. Then she said to Remy, "Here's a lagniappe- a blanket for a baby." The blanket was yellow fleece, with embroidery around the borders. She handed it to him. As Remy walked away he realized the woman must have thought they were married or something! Rogue hung the blanket on the wall, under a specially designed protective glass case. It added a nice touch to her room. It somehow just seemed to fit the room. Remy, who had a great eye for style and art, had found the best point in the room to display it. After they put it up they had sat on Rogue's bed admiring it. Remy had put his arm around her and she leaned against him. He hadn't gone any further that time. That was eight months ago. Remy recalled all this as he lay the quilt over Rogue.

Hank and the Professor had continued to look for the cause of her coma. Hank's hypothesis about it not being life threatening had proved true. The monitors showed every day her body readjusting itself to the hormonal change. The change itself, Hank told him, wasn't harmful, what caused the symptoms was the suddenness of the change. Similar to what happened the first time her powers had manifested itself, likely. Remy had asked when she would come out of the coma, but they couldn't give him a definite time, only that it wouldn't be long now, her body was nearly readjusted to the change, and her new hormone level had stabilized a couple of days ago. He was bound and determined to be by her side when she woke.